AWARDWINNING ONLINE TOY STORE LAUNCHES A BRICK AND MORTAR SHOWROOM IN SANDY SPRINGS, GA

The Toy Emporium Opens Sandy Springs, GA Showroom

New Toy Store Also Aims to Reach Children with Special Needs

ATLANTA, GA (PRWEB) May 7, 2015 – The Toy Emporium has opened a new 1800-square-foot showroom that features more than 1,500 products from over 300 manufacturers. The Toy Emporium (formerly Dolls Like Me) today unveiled a new toy showroom, featuring unique toys, a S.T.E.M. Science Center, Special Needs toys, dozens of dolls that reflect all cultures and nationalities, puppets, children’s books from around the world, and custom children’s stationery.

“Even in large urban areas where the African American, Latino and Asian populations are often the majority and the population of biracial children is fast-growing, retailers never seem to stock an adequate selection of quality dolls and toys for children of color. Parents seeking quality toys for children with special needs have an even harder time,” said Gary, head buyer and vice president of The Toy Emporium. “We are changing that by making it easy for parents to find items that reflect their unique culture and that their children can easily identify with. Adding toys for children with special needs was an easy extension.”

The company’s mission is supported by a new poll, which found that 87% of African American parents, 65% of Latino parents, and 47% of Asian parents felt “It is important for all children have dolls that look like them.” In the same poll, 31% of the parents admit to have at least one child with special needs.

The Toy Emporium focuses on providing quality playthings, baby gifts, STEM science products, books from independent presses, and specialty games. Our showroom is more than just an exceptional retail concept – it is the first truly multicultural toy store in the country

According to the US Census Bureau, currently 38% of America’s children are children of color, or non-white. That number will increase by 50% by the year 2020, "Demonstrating the need for a retailer that provides easy access to toys that resemble America’s growing multicultural population,” concluded Wanda Pendleton, president, UB Today.

On TheToyEmporium.net website, customers will find a blog forum and a Parent Resource Center (featuring information on transracial adoption and building self-esteem in all children). We also have lively Twitter and Facebook social media pages.

The Showroom accepts all major credit cards and has a special discount program for schools and non-profit organizations.

About Toy Emporium

On July 1, 2014, the Toy Emporium & Party World acquired Dolls Like Me, LLC. Founded in 2005, Dolls Like Me has been the recipient of numerous awards including the 2007 Wonder Women of Toys Award from the Women In Toys organization. The company has also been featured on several radio programs, in more than 70 newspapers, and on the Telemundo and ABC Television networks. Dolls Like Me was named a ‘company to watch’ in the December 2006 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine.

###

For additional information, please contact:

Wanda Pendelton | Telephone: (201) 901-8086 | Email: wpendelton(at)ubtoday(dot)com

To photograph the store, please contact: Khalil Gary Robinson | Telephone: (770) 680-2222 | Email: khalil(at)thetoyemporium(dot)net

Win a Free Friends Forever Girls 19" Reina Doll (MSRP: $89)

Subscribe to the DollsLikeMe.com Insiders and be automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a Friends Forever Girls 19” Reina doll and companion book, The First Day of Forever. The Reina Doll Sweepstakes is DollsLikeMe.com’s first in a series of toy giveaways. No purchase necessary to win. However, winners must subscribe to DollsLikeMe.com Insiders to be eligible.

One winner will win the prize. Random drawing will take place on November 19, 2008 from all eligible entries received, and the winner will be notified by November 22, 2008 via the email address supplied during entry. Judges decisions are final.

Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada who are 18 years or older with Internet access at time of entry. Only entrants logging onto the Internet from within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia or Canada are eligible to enter the Sweepstakes.

To enter, simply subscribe to DollsLikeMe.com Insiders by sending an email including your full name to: sweepstakes@dollslikeme.com. That's it. You are entered. You will receive an instant reply confirming your entry. Complete rules are available at http://www.dollslikeme.com/contest.html.

Top 25 Hispanic Dolls for Christmas 2008

This year, we thought it would be helpful if we published a series of holiday guides featuring multicultural toys. The Top 25 Hispanic Dolls List (in the right column) is the first Guide and our attempt to respond to the hundreds of questions about Latina dolls we we received last year.

The list ranks dolls by a formula we created, which rates parent response, play value, cultural and ethnic representation, and quality. The four ratings are averaged and listed in order from highest to lowest. The full list is available at http://www.dollslikeme.com/ as a downloadable pdf. Lists featuring Black and Asian dolls, multicultural games and puzzles, and multicultural baby gifts will be published in the next few weeks.

Number one on this year's Top 25 Latina Dolls list is Reina (shown above in the Sweepstakes article) from Forever Friends Girls. 18" Reina arrives with a book bag, poncho and hardcover book, The First Day of Forever, which features Reina and her new friends. The Forever Friends Girls dolls were named as one of Dr. Toy’s “Best Children’s Products for 2008” and our favorite 18" -21" dress up dolls. The number 2 doll on our Top 25 is Rosa (shown). Rosa is a new 13" collectible fashion doll from Mixis.